Food marketers research conditions and determine demand and potential customers for food companies. They may work for grocery stores and other retailers, restaurant chains or food manufacturers and wholesale distributors, among others. These marketers might be managers tasked with overseeing a food company's entire marketing unit, or specialists focused on a particular product or brand. Salaries for food marketers depend upon their jobs and their employers.

Grocery Stores

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, grocery stores and chains employed 920 marketing managers and 2,610 marketing specialists as of May 2011. The managers were paid an average of $118,920 a year, while the specialists earned $64,350 on average. Both types of employees were paid less than the overall average for their respective professions, which were $126,190 for marketing managers and $67,130 for marketing specialists. Grocery marketing managers earned 6 percent less, while grocery marketing specialists earned 4 percent less.

Food Manufacturers

Food manufacturers employed 550 marketing managers and 1,390 specialists, according to the BLS. Managers averaged $112,330, while specialists averaged $64,900. Once again, these marketers were paid less than their peers in other industries. These figures were 11 percent and 3 percent less than the overall averages for the professions, respectively.

Restaurants and Bars

Restaurants and bars, as well as chain eating establishments, also employed marketers, with the BLS reporting 70 managers and 1,130 specialists in the industry. Managers for these eateries earned $91,090 on average, while analysts and specialists averaged $42,660. These salaries were 28 percent and 36 percent less than the professions' averages, respectively.

Food and Beverage Stores

Food stores that were not groceries nevertheless needed marketers, according to the BLS. These stores employed 210 marketing managers and 570 marketing specialists, paying them an average of $76,540 and $44,180, respectively. These managers had the lowest average salary among food sales categories, coming in 39 percent below the profession's average. Marketing specialists made 34 percent below the average for the occupation as a whole.

About the Author

Eric Strauss spent 12 years as a newspaper copy editor, eventually serving as a deputy business editor at "The Star-Ledger" in New Jersey before transitioning into academic communications. His byline has appeared in several newspapers and websites. Strauss holds a B.A. in creative writing/professional writing and recently earned an M.A. in English literature.